Did you realise that one of the leading causes for depression is a lack of light exposure? Despite stressful events, alcohol/drugs, giving birth, sickness, loneliness, family history and personality type being some of the most well-known signs, lack of light plays a crucial part in our mental health.
Especially when living in England, where the winters are cold, long, and dark, it is essential that you find as many ways to brighten up your home as possible. Yet, if your property is naturally predisposed to being dark, your ways of doing so might be limited – but not impossible.
From making smart artificial lighting choices and adding greenery to adding reflective surfaces and decorating with light furnishings like clear light switches etc. – there are many ways to bring natural light into your home. But what are the rest? We outline several below:
Make Smarter Artificial Lighting Choices
Sometimes, due to a house’s design, it can be tricky to let in as much natural lighting as possible, which is where artificial lighting comes in. Although not a substitute for natural lighting by far, so long as you make smart choices when using artificial lighting it can help facilitate it.
Whether you’re adding general/ambient lighting to ensure you can move around safely or accent lighting to draw attention to a focal point in the room, the key aspect is finding bulbs that will provide light to all four corners of a room.
No to mention, finding ones that are energy-efficient, so you can be sustainable and save racking up costs on your lighting bills. LED light bulbs are an especially wise choice if you’d like the best of both worlds since they use up to 90% less energy than traditional bulbs and last longer as a result.
Once you’ve selected your lighting choices, you can start focusing on the ‘beautifying’ element, which is always more fun than looking at lightbulbs! From overhead lighting like chandeliers, track lights, recessed pot lights to lighting accessories like Perspex light switches, and much more.
Decorate With Light Furnishings
Another way that you can brighten up the naturally dark rooms in your house is by decorating with light furnishings. From a viewer’s perspective, light colours are attractive because they complement both large and small spaces and are soft on the eyes.
Especially if you’re decorating a naturally dark room, adding lighter seating options and other accessories can make it look airy and bright, even if the natural light sources are limited. However, it’s important that you don’t take this information and run with it, as it can have opposite results.
Whatever furnishing you’re using to decorate a room with, it’s essential that you map out the area beforehand because no matter how light and airy a piece of furniture might be if you add too much it can still overpower the space.
Plus, don’t forget about fittings and fixtures! Compliment your light furnishings with equally bright accessories like clear light switches, sockets etc., to ensure that they don’t look like an eyesore against your new, airy decorations.
If you’d like more inspiration, consider refreshing your outdated, dark fittings and fixtures with these light switches from Corston Architectural Detail. From hardware to switches and sockets, they supply a range of hand-crafted architectural detail that compliment room to room. Consider visiting their website for more information, or contact them directly for specific inquiries today.
Add Green Elements
Unbeknownst to many homeowners, another way that you can brighten up a naturally dark room is by adding more green elements, which not only make your space more attractive but freshens the airflow.
As well as promising better air quality, plants offer several mood-boosting properties which can help mitigate the symptoms of several debilitating mental illnesses like anxiety, depression, and many more.
Plus, as a bonus, plants can also reflect natural light into naturally dark rooms so long as you position them well. For example, if you place a large, leafy plant in the window of a room when the sun shines, it will reflect off them and back into the room, increasing the amount of natural light.
Invite The Light In
Although this might sound like an obvious suggestion, the best way to brighten up the naturally dark areas of your home is by inviting the sunshine in wherever possible. Some of the best ways to do this is by leaving your blinds curtains open during the daytime, not blocking the windows, moving furniture that restricts your windows, keeping the windows clean, and many more.
Doing so, is essential for many reasons. Not only does it help brighten up naturally dark rooms but it reduces the need to use artificial lighting elements, helps you get your daily dose of vitamin D, and even reduces your central heating bill by taking advantage of the sun’s free heat.
